Interview With Milan Todorovic Director Of Nymph By
James Whittington, Sunday 24th August 2014

There's a strong creature feature theme at FrightFest this year with plenty of beasts clambering out of the darkness to frighten the wits out of us.

One of the more original movie is Nymph which is showing tomorrow on the main screens. We've had a quick chat with the film's director Milan Todorovic to talk about this much talked about movie and his plans for the future film making.

HC: There’s a bit of a gap between your first feature Apocalypse Of The Dead and Nymph, why was that?

MT: It’s always hard to make an independent movie. But when you live in Serbia it’s like 100 times harder. No one believes in genre films, funds or state does not support it, and for a newcomer directors – it’s hard as hell, even if you are making social drama or comedy. I was developing a few projects, trying hard to make them, but had not enough luck with them. Eventually I made a teaser for sequel for Apocalypse of the Dead, and about the same time – Nymph happened!

HC: How did Nymph come about?

MT: Last year in Cannes I was with my producer Marko Jocic and we were trying to find investors for Apocalypse of the Dead sequel when we realized that the project is too complex, and by the time we make the teaser and raise enough funds – the year would pass and we won’t have a movie. So we agreed to make another movie in the meantime, like a really low budget, micro budget movie, for like a two weeks of shooting. Marko suggested we do a movie based on a synopsis he already got from fellow director Marko Backovic, about a mermaid trapped on Mamula island in Montenegro. I loved the idea. I loved that island, and always dreamt of using it as a location, and there are no many movies with mermaids. So I felt it may be an interesting project. We ended up shooting it 16 days on beautiful locations in Montenegro, and I am very happy with the final product. It looks good and it’s one entertaining flick!

HC: Why did you choose Barry Keating as co-writer?

MT: Barry and I met a few years ago on a festival in Orvieto, Italy. He liked Apocalypse of the Dead and pitched some ideas for the potential sequel. I liked his approach and style so I thought he could be the perfect choice to do the screenplay for Wrath of the Dead. And I was right! He made a fantastic script, and I since we are of the same age and like same stuff, comics and movies, we were on the same page throughout the whole process. So, when the time was to have someone to work on Nymph, he was the logical choice. He co-wrote it together with Milan Konjevic, who wrote and co-directed Apocalypse of the Dead.

HC: Did the script take long to put together?

MT: Since the moment we accepted the idea to do this movie, when we had only some short synopsis until actual filming – it was around three months. So the entire movie was developed, prepared and written in around three months.

HC: How did you go about casting the movie?

MT: Kristina Klebe was first to be approached. She was lead actress in Apocalypse of the Dead, and I really love her work. Since Apocalypse she made some fantastic roles. Also, she’s a good friend of mine. So we asked her to be in a movie, and we didn’t even had a script at the moment. But she liked the idea and said –Yes! (also – the beautiful location helped her decide) After she said yes – the lead character was written with her in mind.
Similar thing was with Natalie Burn, who I have met a few weeks before in Cannes. I saw some of her previous work and thought she would be great for the role. Also, I came to her birthday party in Cannes, and didn’t have any gift for her, so I told her she would be in my next movie. It sounded like a joke, but in the end – it wasn’t. We also had made a character for some special guest star. Since I was invited to Grossmann festival to be in the jury and Franco Nero was getting a life achievement award there, I told writers to make the character especially for him. He was a little bit skeptical about the role and he thought it would be just a meaningless cameo, but I have explained him that his character IS the leading role. He’s not on the screen all the time, but it’s the most important character in the movie. He eventually suggested a lot of changes to his character but it was all better than we originally imagined. And he insisted to be involved in the action finale with more things to do. Which was great. He did more than asked for and helped us a lot. Working with Franco Nero was one of the best things ever. He is a great man and an amazing actor. I hope we’ll do more movies together.

HC: How did you choose the locations and was it a tough shoot?

MT: The location choose us! As I said, the screenplay was written based on the locations. It is an unique fortress in the world, with that circle shape on such a small island. There was a concentration camp on the island, and there is a movie from 50s called Mamula Camp that is about that period. And it was really a tough shoot. Locations were dangerous, remoted... Weather was not always nice. We had storms, winds, rain, power failure, a lot of injuries... even our boat got on fire one night while we were returning from the island. It was an adventure!

HC: Did your budget restrict you at all?

MT: Well, yes. A lot of things had to be cut out or changed in order to make everything. The movie was conceived for the small budget, but filming on sea is not something you can predict easily. But everybody gave their heart into making it, both cast and crew, so I think the budget restriction is not something that damaged the movie in the end.

HC: Nymph is billed as the first Serbian creature feature, do you think it will open the gates for more?

MT: I hope so. But I am not sure. I thought Apocalypse of the Dead, as first Serbian zombie movie, would open gates for more horror movie, but it didn’t happen. Although, Nymph was eventually supported by the Serbian Film Center (Government Fund), which is a next step in recognition genre films as part of national cinema and maybe pushing them more. As genre films get to wider audience and more people will start paying attention to films that come from Serbia. A lot of talent in Serbia that loves genre movies. I hope examples of Nymph and Apocalypse of the Dead will give them courage to try to make them.

HC: Are you nervous that Nymph is playing at FrightFest?

MT: Of course. They were the first ones to see finished film. I have sent it to them as soon as I had the screener. And I was so nervous. But I got reply like two hours later from them saying they liked it and it’s in! Hope the audience will like it too. It is a movie made from a film fan to film fans. And the main goal is to get audience entertained for 90mins. Hope they will enjoy it.

HC: How hard is it for a film director in Serbia and what did you think of the controversial movie A Serbian Film?

MT: It is very hard for film directors in Serbia, especially the younger ones. Movies depend a lot on Government fund help so it is a war in trenches to get some funds. If you make genre film – it’s much much harder. But, my producer Marko Jocic and I made Nymph under concept we believe it can work. We are hoping to produce another movie by the end of the year under the same concept. Also, with the support we got for Nymph, there is a chance that Serbia is opening for genre films. Everywhere I went – from USA to Korea – people usually know about three movies from Serbia (not only genre geeks, but common people in general) – Apocalypse of the Dead and A Serbian Film. It says a lot, I think. As for A Serbian Film – I think it is a well done thriller, and I just didn’t like too explicit ending. I believe it would be even more frightening if it had left us imagining details.

HC: So what are you working on next?

MT: A lot of things. Some projects only as a producer. As for my next director’s thing, it would be either Wrath of the Dead (finally), or some other project I am talking to Franco Nero to do it together. It would be like a Death Wish meets Taken crime action flick. Also, a lot of people is talking and asking about Nymph 2. Kristina Klebe is interested in doing it. Franco too. So if it goes well on the market I see no reason not to do it. I already have some great ideas for that.

Be prepared to feast on a chilling cornucopia of savage shocks, unsettling surprises and devilish delights as the UK's favourite horror fantasy event returns to the Glasgow Film Festival for its 13th year, from Thursday 1 March to Saturday 3 March 2018.

This year's bold line-up, once again housed at the iconic Glasgow Film Theatre, embraces the latest horror, fantasy and sci-fi discoveries from ten countries, spanning four continents, reflecting the world-wide popularity of the genre.

Ghost Stories remains one of the scariest stage shows ever seen and on Thursday night FrightFest kicks off with a special screening of Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson's smash hit phenomenon. Starring Martin Freedman, ...

Ghost Stories writer and director team Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson will join Hex Studio's Lawrie Brewster, FrightFest's Paul McEvoy and Glasgow Film Festival head honcho Allison Gardner on the judge's panel for the FrightFest Glasgow 90 Second Challenge.

Aspiring filmmakers living in Scotland are invited to create an entertaining Horror, Sci-Fi or Fantasy film within just 90 seconds.

Films must be shot in Scotland by Scottish residents and entries must not currently be available online. All submissions are free and must be received by Tuesday 13th February 2018. Filmmakers of entries selected to be screened will be notified by 23rd February 2018.

FrightFest, in association with Glasgow Film Festival, are delighted to announce an exciting new initiative to discover the next wave of emerging Scottish talent. FrightFest has always championed new film-makers since its inception in 2000. Now, for the very first time they are encouraging talent to rise to the challenge of creating an entertaining film within just 90 seconds.

The winning shorts will be screened both at the Horror Channel FrightFest Glasgow Film Festival event, held at the Glasgow Film Theatre on the 2nd/3rd March 2018 and FrightFest's London event in August 2018.

The rules for submission are that films should be no longer than 90 seconds and be in the Horror, Thriller, Scie...

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Art, The Clown initially appeared in your 2008 short The 9th Circle, then the 2011 award-winning short Terrifier and in your first feature All Hallow's Eve. What made you decide to give him a fourth outing?

DL: Up until this point I never felt like I fully showcased Art's potential. I believe between the short films and All Hallows' Eve, there only exists about 20 minutes of Art the Clown screen time. For a character who's done so little, he seems to really resonate with horr...

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You were born in Cannes so you grew up with film all around? When did you know for sure you wanted to direct?

MT: I think it's always been there. As a child, I used to steal my dad's VHS camera to make mini-movies. They were basically all about my Jurassic Park toys eating my dog or invading the garden. Later, I did more elaborate short films with friends, instead of studying. Then, I remember watching Braveheart and the making of the ...

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MM: There's so many movies and makers which inspired ICFTD, but the main inspiration was exactly that; creature feature infested 1950s Hollywood films, and the legendary Cinemaware Desert games and creature features and action comedies I grew up with in the 19...

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Was it important to make your follow-up film to Baskin in the English language?

CE: I wanted to make the film available for a wider audience and to test myself with a different language movie. I thought it was a fun thing to do.

How do you describe Housewife? What would be your perfect pitch line?

CE: Man, I had this crazy f****d-up dream last night! Do you want to see it?

This year, the all-day shocktoberfest is at the Empire Haymarket on Sat Oct 28, 2017 and embraces one world, one European and five UK premieres, spanning three continents.

From the emotional making of a low-budget slasher to zombie nightmares, Gothic horrors, an outrageously strange mind cult, a sci-fi alien action extravaganza, a comic strip creature feature and the last word in Killer Clowns, this year-s line-up is an eclectic mix of the quirky, unusual and extreme.

One of the best from Horror Channel FrightFest 2017 was a superior thriller, Killing Ground. This tension packed movie looked incredible on the big screen so we decided to chat to its director, Damien Power.

HC: Did Killing Ground take a long time to write and did it change as you progressed?

DP: It took eleven years from the germ of the idea to stepping onto location to start shooting. Luckily I wasn't working on it full time! Once we had a draft we were happy with, it took five years to put the financing jigsaw together. It's a long journey! The biggest change was that for a number of years it didn't really have a third act. It ended very abruptly at the moment of maximum jeopardy. Fort...

The final day of Horror Channel FrightFest is usually the most anticipated especially towards the final movie of the event, more on that later. There was so much going on with what possibly be the strongest line up of the whole festival.

Anyone with even just the passing interest in cinema couldn't have failed to have been impressed by Lowlife, the superb thriller from Ryan Prows. When a simple organ-harvesting caper goes awry, a twist of fate unites three of society's forgotten and ignored: El Monstruo, a disgraced Mexican Wrestler working as hired muscle for the local crime boss; Crystal, a recovering addict desperate enough to arrange a black-market kidney transplant to save her husband's life; and Randy, a t...

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MB: Going to the movies with my family is a favourite childhood memory. There was no cinema in our home town, so it always involved a bit of a car trip. Afterwards we'd recount and quote our favourite scenes, for some movies up to this day. My mother also filmed and edited our home movies on Super 8, and she involved me in that. So, on some level I grew up with it. It didn't dawn on me that this was a v...

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This wasn't the case as the event packed as much violence, blood, gore, tension, skin-crawling and gory programme of movies yet!

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